Scar Tissue
by Nightflyer18
Summary: The school burnt down before the flock was experimented on. Max lived a semi-normal life before she lost everything. Can she learn to love again? Can she find a normal life? Will her scars ever heal? FAX! Sorry I'm no good at summaries. plz R&R!
1. Chapter 1

**Yay! I'm finally getting this up! I had to get this started, but don't worry, I won't forget my other stories although I'm hoping this will be much better. I'll try to update as much as possible. Pleeeeeaaaaase review!**

**Disclaimer: Yes, I defiantly own Maximum Ride and I have a pet Twinkie who can talk! He'll take care of me after the apocalipse. Just me, my twinkie, and some cockroaches.**

**MAX POV**

I stared out the window, watching the trees rush by, not paying any attention to the music blasting from my iPod. Elizabeth, my child care worker, tapped my shoulder and I took out my ear phones. "We should be there in about twenty minutes." She told me nervously. I just turned to look out the car window again. I knew she was scared of me. She hated the dead look in my eyes, my haste to punch the lights out of anyone who so much as looked at me the wrong way. I refused to speak to anyone anymore. What was the point? Talking to someone means getting to know them, which leads to letting them in. Letting someone in means caring about someone and caring always leads to heartbreak. I should know. I arched my back, trying to ease the tightness and pain. My gashes were almost gone now; just scar tissue, a painful reminder of that night.

_**Flashback**_

_**-Yes, this is a line. His name is Steve. Don't make fun of Steve, he has very low self esteem.-**_

_"Dad! We're home!" I called, slamming the door behind me and my little brother, Ari._

_ "Where the hell have you been, you little piece of garbage? Huh?" I could tell that he had been drinking again. A lot. I stepped in front of Ari; if he was going to hit one of us again, I would make sure it was me, not him._

_ "I took Ari to the Library like I said." I told him. It was the truth, not like that mattered._

_ "Ya, right." He said, his breath heavy with liquor, "I bet you were with your stupid boyfriend weren't you, you little slut?"_

_ "Da-"I tried._

_ "SHUT UP!" He screamed slapping me hard. He grabbed Ari by the front of his shirt, shaking him. "Tell me where you were! Tell me or I swear you will wish you were never born!"_

_ "We were at the library, I swear, we were!" Ari whimpered._

_ "Don't lie to me boy!" I saw my father throw back his arm to punch and I launched myself at him, knocking him to the floor. "Oh, you didn't want to do that, sweetheart." He growled._

_ "Ya, actually, I really did." I then punched him in the face as hard as I could and heard a satisfying crunch. I saw the blood pouring out of his nose and he looked dazed. "Come on Ari, let's get out of here. Now." He nodded and gulped hard as I grabbed the two bags from the closet that we had stowed earlier. We were planning on running away the next day, his ninth birthday, but now seemed pretty urgent._

_ I swung the bags over my shoulder and grabbed his arm and we ran out the door. We were barley down the street when we heard loud cursing and a car start. I clenched Ari's hand and ran even faster._

_ "Ow, Max! Slow down a little! I can't run as fast as you!" he panted._

"_I'm sorry honey but we have to get out of here! We only have to make it to Sam's house!" Sam was my boyfriend, he lived only a few blocks down and I was sure he would be able to help us, give us somewhere to hide. My best friend, Abby, lived next door to him so she could help us too. We just had to make it there before my dad!_

_ "Max, I can't go that fast!" He said again. I almost carried him but I already had the bags so he was faster on his own feet. I was about to pull him down a side street when my dad's car screeched around the corner. I turned to see him pull something out of his pocket and thrust it through the window. The next thing I knew, There was a bang and a scream. He shot Ari in the side. I screamed and tucked my brother behind a dumpster. I saw the blood already covering his shirt. I ripped off my hoodie and tried to stench the flow, my eyes filled with tears and my breath wreaked with sobs._

_ "Max, it's okay." He whispered. "Just promise me….. Just promise me you'll have a better life than the one I had. Promise me you'll make yourself a future, you'll be happy."_

_ "Oh my God! Ari, don't talk like that! You'll be okay! Please! We're almost there!" I picked him up and ran between the buildings, hearing more shooting and bullets landing at my feet followed by cursing. I saw the porch lights up ahead and flung myself towards the door, holing Ari close to me. He was still breathing, but barely. I raised my hand to pound on the door and I saw through the window something that made my heart drop even farther, if that's possible. There, on the couch were my only two friends, Sam and Abby, making out. Betrayal was all I could think. I looked back down at Ari and hugged him close._

_ "Promise?" he asked weakly._

_ "Yes, I promise, anything." I sobbed._

_ "Good…..What time is it?"_

"_12:30am, happy birthday."_

"_I'm nine…The moon is so beautiful tonight." I looked up at the perfect full moon shining silver in the dark sky._

_ "Yeah," I agreed, "it sure is." He didn't move after that. I gently closed his eyes let my grief take over, my sobs shaking my entire body. Then my father, Jeb, drunk and furious careened around the corner again and raised the gun, pointing it at my head. I stared him in the eyes, not moving an inch. I had nothing to live for anymore._

_ That bullet never found me. Instead, Jeb was so focused on aiming; he didn't see the light post right in front of him. He crashed straight on. I knew what would happen next so I jumped to protect my brother's body. The pole crashed onto my back and before I blacked out, I heard sirens, but I knew relief would never really come. Not for me, not after I lost everything so quickly._

_**-Steve is back-Did you miss him?-**_

_**End Flashback**_

Jeb had died on impact. If you ask me, it was too good for him; to not feel the pain, the guilt of what he had done. After I was released from the hospital, there were funerals. They had wanted to bury them together but I refused. Ari was way better than that slime.

I remember spitting in my father's grave and then limping over to Ari's. I sobbed for hours by his side. I eventually calmed down enough to sing his favorite song, the one I always sang to comfort him. I won't repeat it now. I whispered my promise and dropped the lilies. I couldn't believe he was really gone, the one who was always so full of life even when life didn't seem worth living.

Sam and Abby showed up but they didn't have a chance for any excuses. I knocked them both out in seconds. They could sleep together as much as they wanted now. I was defiantly not in the mood to forgive and forget. Everyone I had ever loved was taken from me in a second. Even though I hated Jeb, he was family and I always wanted to believe he was good. There was no chance of me forgiving him now. He was gone from the world and had cruelly dragged Ari with him. My two friends had cheated behind my back and betrayed me. They didn't really care about me. I had no one.

After a week the police told me I wasn't allowed to live on my own and I was going to Virginia. I protested but they wouldn't even give me any additional information. I was being shipped across the country, from Colorado to Virginia, to live with a stranger. My life sucks; the understatement of the century.

"So have I been adopted or something?" I asked Elizabeth.

"Something like that, yes." She replied, obviously surprised that I had spoken.

"Well by who?" I asked for the millionth time. I wasn't expecting a straight answer.

"Your mother." My eyes shot open with shock and disbelief.

"_**MY WHAT!"**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Soooooooooooooooooo sorry it took so long, I was having serious computer problems. I promise it will never happen again.**

**Disclaimer: Hell no, I don't own Maximum Ride because if I did I would actually be able to buy my mansion, ninja whales and magical powers. Possibly also a giant rubber duck or a dinosaur…..**

**MAX POV**

"I said you're going to live with your mother." Said Elizabeth slowly.

"That's impossible. My mother is dead." I explained to her, my patience already wearing thin."

"Is that what Jeb told you?"

"Yes and I know it's true. I never met my mother; she wouldn't have left me there with a monster like him." I desperately wanted it to be true. I know it sounds awful to hope my mother is dead but look at it my way. It's much better to not have a mom than go live with one who would leave you in the hands of a madman.

"It wasn't like that from what I know, but they didn't tell me everything."

"What! First of all, who's 'they' and second, you better tell me everything you know right now." I warned her icily. She sighed and pulled over to the side of the road.

"When the police identified your father they found out he was a wanted criminal and-"

"Well, duh! He KILLED my brother! That bastard!" I screamed, slamming my fist against the dashboard.

"Don't interrupt. Besides, that's not what I meant. He's been a wanted man for years. You see, your father used to be a scientist working for a place called the school which was a branch of Itex. Shortly before you were born, Itex was shut down and the school burned. Without his job, Jeb went kind of crazy. Your mother noticed and got a divorce. She had custody of you, but your father was in an insane rage. He kidnapped you and ran to Colorado. Your mother searched for years, but got nowhere. Eventually, people assumed that the two of you were dead. The case got no farther until…..that night. You see, your mom was worried sick about you and tried to find you. She's not a bad person."

I tried to take all of this new information. Honestly, I was astonished. I can't begin to tell you how offsetting it is to find out you had a mother who cared about you your whole life who you didn't know about, who you thought was dead.

"What is her name?" I asked, for the first time without any anger or sarcasm.

"Dr. Valencia Martinez." Elizabeth replied with a smile. "You can change to her last name if you'd like. I can understand you wouldn't want to be associated with your father."

"It just doesn't fit or seem right. I mean, I don't even know her. Besides, I already picked a name. Ride, Maximum Ride. You know, like Sally Ride? I like the sound of it."

"Me too. Oh, you also have another half sibling, her name is Ella. She's only a year younger than you. Unfortunately her father, your stepdad, died in Iraq four years ago."

I sighed. I was excited to find out I had family, but I was also extremely scared. My mother had already been through so much I didn't want to be a letdown. I know I'm not the cute little baby she lost years ago. What if she doesn't want me? Elizabeth announced that we were only ten minutes away and my hands started sweating. I was terrified of my new life, but there was nothing I could do now. I mean, I could run away, but I have nowhere to go. I lost and left everything behind. There was nowhere to go but forwards. Well, at least for now.

**Ohh! Looky! Steve the line is back! He's going, he's goooooooooiiiiiiiing…Bye Steve!**

I stepped out of the car in front of a brick house at the end of a cull de sac. I pulled my few belongings out of the trunk and walked towards the porch. This was it. I saw a face flash by an upstairs window and then a muffled shout of 'she's here!'

A few seconds later a hispanic woman opened the door. She leaned against the frame, wiping her hands on her jeans and brushing her dark curly hair behind her ear. I saw a younger girl who looked remarkably like her appear behind her shoulder.

"Max? Is it really you?" She whispered quietly as a single tear rolled down her cheek. I nodded awkwardly and she ran forward catching me in a tight embrace. I just stood there limply, not knowing what to do. It was all so overwhelming.

"Oh, my baby, I can't believe it! After all these years I never would've guessed. Look how tall you are! Oh, Max, I'm so sorry!" Dr. Martinez then just stepped back and looked at me. "This must be very awkward for you. Why don't you come inside? I made cookies!" I couldn't believe that she understood my perspective. I had been expecting her to think that I would feel at home immediately.

I walked in the door and smelled the most amazing thing ever! Dr. Martinez pulled a pan of fresh, hot, chocolate chip cookies from the oven. I could hardly keep from drooling over them. When she told me to help myself, I fell upon them like a starving animal. It seemed like an awesome idea until I started to feel the insane burning. Dr. Martinez and Elizabeth had left the room to discuss some things so the girl was the only one left in the kitchen. She started giggling like crazy when I ran to the sink and started pouring water down my throat. I gave her one of my worst glares.

"I'm sorry," she said, smiling and handing me a towel and a glass of milk, "This should help. It's like you've never had homemade cookies before."

"I haven't." I told her simply. She just stared at me with a blank expression.

"Then I'll let you catch up on what you've been missing out on for years." I smiled. I mean, there was a real genuine smile on my face. It wasn't sarcastic or a sneer or a grimace, I was smiling and I was happy. I actually liked Ella already. Maybe I could get used to it here.

While I gobbled down every last cookie, Ella told me about our mom and reassured me that she was kind. She told me how heart-broken she'd seemed whenever I was mentioned. She never really lost hope that I was out there somewhere even though the case had been cold for years. Ella told me that everyone was thrilled when they got the call but became worried after they were told what happened. I was completely shocked; I didn't know anyone could care about me so much, let alone without really knowing me. Now don't get me wrong, just because I wasn't completely opposed to the idea of living with them anymore didn't mean I trusted them. It wasn't even close. I knew that it was too dangerous to let people in. If I lost someone else, I didn't think I could recover.

"Ella?" Dr. Martinez called. I wasn't comfortable even thinking of her as my mom yet. "I have a few more things to wrap up here, why don't you show Max the house and her room?"

"Okay! Come on Max!" I followed her around the corner to see a cozy little room with an overstuffed couch and a fire crackling in the corner. There was also a T.V. mounted on the wall and I could see a large DVD collection on the shelf along with tons of books.

"This is the den. You can hang out here whenever you don't want to be in your room or want to be near the fire. You already saw the kitchen and dining room, let's go upstairs." I followed her up and she burst through a door. "This is my room." She said proudly. I looked around at her large four poster bed with a purple comforter and her fuzzy purple beanbag, her purple curtains, and light lilac walls. I also then noticed that she was wearing a purple shirt with a ruffle down it diagonally, light grey skinny jeans, and purple converse.

"You really like purple don't you?"

"Is it that obvious?"

"Well I suppose It's better than pink." She gave me a small smile.

"Come on let's see your room." She pushed open another door just a little farther down the hall. In between the two rooms was a bathroom for the two of us. When I looked inside my room I was a little shocked. It was set up as a nursery with white walls and a little crib and everything. "Sorry it's a little weird. Mom couldn't bear to move anything after you disappeared and we didn't have much notice ahead of your arrival. You can sleep in my room tonight and we can go furniture shopping tomorrow. Mom says you can decorate it any way you want."

I was really excited. I was already formulating ideas in my head.

"Did you bring many things with you, any clothes or books or anything?"

I just shook my head and looked away. I didn't have much in the first place and that I did carry memories that were too painful. The only thing I took with me from my old life was a photo album of Ari. There were his baby pictures, his first day of kindergarten, him on Christmas, and a few of the both of us. It was wrapped securely in T-shirts in my backpack. I only brought that and one small suitcase.

"That's alright. We can get you anything you need tomorrow. Plus, this means I get to take you shopping!" My face fell.

**So please, pleas, PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAASE tell me what you think in a review. You can't imagine how much reviews mean to me. Buttons right there! **

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	3. Chapter 3

**Ok, So I know I haven't updated anything in forever. I go to boarding school. Not exactly much free time and I normally spend it doing things like laundry. Sorry. But I'm on break so here you go!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum ride…or a flamingo. It's sad, I know.**

Shopping. Who the hell invented this cruel and unusual punishment? I want to slap them. I don't pretend to understand how some people, _cough cough Ella cough, _can enjoy going to the mall for a day. Squeezing into tons of clothes that are supposed to fit you sucks. They're all either the tiniest things that no human should be able to wear or things that make you feel far too scrawny and believe you don't have any curves in any of the right places or generally awful about yourself. Company's play to people's insecurities, making girls hate their bodies. No, that is defenatly NOT my idea of a good time.

Unfortunately for me, today I had to buy an entire wardrobe plus everything else for my room. Fantastic! We got off pretty early the next day to head to the mall but we picked up Ella's best friend first. Ella explained to me that her friend would probably kill her if she didn't get to come.

"Nudge!" Ella screamed as she ran towards the house.

"Ella! OMG! This is so cool! I can't wait to meet Max, where is she? I can't believe we get to buy her a whole new wardrobe!" A tall girl with beautiful caramel skin and hair bounded down the stairs towards the car and gave Ella a hug, screaming. To be honest, she scared me a little….Ok a lot. I'm not one to get scared easily but an extremely hyper squealing teenage girl who I'm meeting for the first time hugging me so tightly my eyes are about to pop out is enough to make me turn and run.

Luckily, Dr. Martine- er I mean Mom, saved me. "Nudge! Calm down! You're going to crush the poor girl!"

"Right! Sorry! It's so great to meet you!"

"Um.. Hi?" Was all I managed. Nudge and Ella chatted happily in the back seat all the way.

When we walked through the door I braced myself for attack and much screeching of "OMG look at that adorbs top! It would like totally bring out your eyes! Yaaaaay!" Instead no OMGs, likes, or totallys came. Nudge just turned and said in a much calmer voice than she had had all morning "So I'm guessing you're a functionality and comfort kind of person rather than style and designer brand?" I nodded. "Ok, cool. Any major fashion rules to go by?"

"Well, no sparkles, sequence, ruffles, glitter, ribbons or pink. No pink at all and of course nothing slutty."

"That's the most I've heard out of you all day! I have to say I do like pink but I can respect that. No need to worry about looking slutty." She said wrinkling her nose. I noticed for the first time what she was wearing and I actually approved. It's true she was wearing skinny jeans but they looked like they actually fit instead of being three sizes too small and skin tight like most girls wear. Her orange shirt had a V-neck but it wasn't deep or revealing at all. Her sandals looked pretty comfortable too. I started to relax about her helping pick out my clothes a bit. She seemed wrapped up in intense thought.

"How do you feel about vintage?"

After a lot of trying things on for size, Nudge handed me an outfit and pushed me towards a dressing room. The pants fit at least which I was surprised by. You see, I'm pretty tall and really skinny. It's not all it's cracked up to be. I eat plenty but I have an abnormally fast metabolism on top of being active which equals really skinny and hardly any curves even at fifteen. I pulled the shirt over my head and stepped out from behind the curtain.

I could say that I looked like a super model and every head in the entire store turned to look at me at once. I could say I was shocked by my own appearance and several boys' jaws dropped. I would be lying. Truth is I was just wearing dark wash jeans and a formfitting black _The Beetles_ T-Shirt which was one of my favorite bands. When I looked in the mirror I looked like a pretty normal teenager, but I also looked like me. Nudge and Ella were both beaming.

I got a few more pairs of jeans in different colors and styles (my favorite was electric blue). I found this graphic T-shirt place with some of the coolest and funniest things I had ever seen. I bought a pair of red Converse sneakers and an army style jacket. I was done. I couldn't believe it. It had been virtually painless.

"Hey Max, do you want to start looking for furniture now?" I nodded again. We were about to step into a store when Ella stopped suddenly.

"Look! It's Iggy!" I turned and looked to see a tall blond guy looking at a bunch of CDs in a music store.

"Hey! Iggy, come here!" Shouted Nudge.

"What did you do that for?" asked Ella turning away nervously.

"He should meet Max, right?"

"Oh, yeah, right. Of course. Brace yourself Max." I was very confused as the boy loped up to us. "Iggy, meet Max, my sister. Max, meet Iggy, my…crazy person."

"Jolly good to meet you miss! These two 'ave been talking my bloody ears off about you ever since they found out you were coming!"

"..Ig…."

"Hmm?"

"I'd just like to point out that you're not British and you're not fooling anyone. That's the worst fake accent I've ever heard."

"But British people are cool!" He whined.

"Exactly, and you're not, which is why it just doesn't work." added Nudge. I couldn't help but crack a smile. These guys weren't so bad after all.

"That was unnecessarily hurtful."

"Quite the contrary, it was completely necessary."

"Max, I'm sorry you have to live with her."

"I'm Sorry he lives just down the street!"

"Aw! You two sound just like an old married couple!" shouted Nudge. This shut them right up and they turned away blushing. "So, Max, see anything you like?" I looked around and saw something that was definatly not furniture. My jaw dropped. I might've even started drooling, I'm not sure.

"I think I'm in love," I whispered.

**It's not what you think. I'm not that lame I promise. Please Review! Seriously! I live for it I can't ask you enough. To be a writer I need constructive criticism! Please? Review? You know you wanna!**


	4. Chapter 4

**So, I realized I hadn't updated since winter break. Living at school, eh, what can you do? But I'm on spring break and I promise I'll do my best to get up at least one more chapter before I go back. Well, here it is. Let me know what you think?**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride…or The Hunger Games…well I obviously own the books, but not the characters, however, I do own a left shoe.**

"Max? Maaaax? Hello, earth to Max!" Ella shouted waving her hand in front of my face. "What are you staring at?"

"Heaven," I replied, not shifting my gaze. She followed my line of sight.

"Um, Max? That's the food court." She looked at me like I was crazy.

"I know! So much food in one place! Let's go!" I grabbed her arm and dragged her to the court as Nudge said a hasty goodbye to Iggy who gave a salute before disappearing back into the music store.

After piling my tray with so much food I could hardly carry it, Nudge, Ella, and I devoured it all and washed it down with ice cream. About two hours later we had purchased several cans of paint, a queen sized loft bed (which I didn't know existed), desk complete with swivel chair, a lamp, a desk, a dresser, and the largest, most awesome bean bag chair I had ever seen. All of that had left me feeling quite accomplished. I had actually had a good time and I really liked Ella and Nudge despite my caution. Letting people in could lead to more heartbreak, but maybe just a few would be alright…

"So, what do you say we go mattress shopping?" Nudge suggested with a mischievous glint in her eye.

"But we don't need one." Ella said in confusion. I almost laughed at her innocent ignorance.

"I like the way you think," I said returning Nudge's grin. "Let's GO!" We each grabbed one of Ella's arms and dashed into the nearest store, running straight to the back where the beds were on display. I threw her on one and jumped up next to her. Nudge was on the next one over so I leapt across and started bouncing in circles from bed to bed while Nudge was cackling wildly trying to do flip as if she were on a trampoline and failing miserably.

"Guys!" Ella gasped, "Guys stop! We're going to get caught and yelled at for-" FWOMP! She was cut off and knocked over by a well-aimed pillow to the face from me.

"Oh shut up, stop being a spoil sport, and have fun!"

"Oh you're going to pay for that dear sister!" She said pushing the hair out of her eyes and grinning at me wickedly.

"Oh, I'm so scared look! I'm shaking in my boots!" I giggled. Suddenly she launched herself at me and tackled me to the mattress where we laughed in hysterics until Nudge nailed us both with another pillow.

"It is so on now!" Squealed Ella and a full out pillow war ensued. We were all swinging and throwing like mad people and getting thwacked on the head from multiple directions. It was utter chaos. I was laughing so hard I was gasping for air.

"Hey!" We all froze mid swing. One last pillow dropped onto my head with a quiet plop. We slowly turned to see the manager jogging down the aisle towards us. "Hey! You can't do that! Stop!"

"Run!" I blurted out as we grabbed each others arms and ran out of the store stumbling over our own legs. As soon as we got out of the store we skidded to a halt before turning and making a mad dash farther down the hall and into another store.

"I think we lost him." Nudge grinned. I had yet to stop laughing.

"That was sooo worth it!" gasped Ella out of breath from running. We decided it was time to go and called Dr. Martinez.

Once everything was loaded onto a trailer by the store employees, Dr. Martinez picked us up. I took longer than I expected to move things into my room, but at least the crib and things were out. It looked completely different. Now I noticed that there was a big built in bookshelf in one corner and a window seat looking out on a tree before the house next door. I turned to look at Ella who was setting down the last of the boxes.

"Hey, thanks for helping, you really didn't have to."

"No, prob. What are sisters for? Besides it was kind of fun going on a shopping spree and redecorating a whole room it looks nice. How are you going to paint it?" she asked me, eyeing the cans of paint in the corner.

"You know, I'm not really sure yet. I might do a mural or something."

"Well you have time, no rush. Oh, I almost forgot, we're having a barbeque tomorrow and you'll get to meet all the neighbors. Well you already know Nudge of course, and Iggy kind of. Don't worry, you'll like the others. We are all kind of like family, a crazy mixed up, extremely dysfunctional family, but we have fun. You'll quickly find we're all just idiots, but loveable ones, especially Ig. Anyway, his two little siblings are the cutest! I can't wait until you meet them!"

"Cool, sounds fun." I gave her a tiered smile. It was a lot to take in, but so far things were going well. I had laughed so much today and I could hardly remember the last time I had cracked a smile.

"Well, I'll let you get some rest. Goodnight."

"Night Ella."

After I got ready for bed I tried to close my eyes but sleep wouldn't come. I didn't know if it was because this bed was so foreign to me or what. Then I realized that it was stifling hot so I lay down on top of the covers instead. After what was probably only fifteen minutes but felt like hours of tossing and turning I gave up. I really liked being up high, but the thing about loft beds is on a hot summer night they feel like furnaces. Stupid heat rises rule. I slowly climbed down the ladder and walked over to the already open window. Without much hesitation I climbed out and into the tree outside. The cool night air was instant relief to my skin, a gentle breeze rustling the leaves around me. There was a near full moon and the stars were amazing. The branch I was on had a perfect view.

I was so tiered and relaxed I had to struggle not to fall asleep in the tree. My eyes were drifting shut again when a heard a sudden loud bang to my right that startled me so much I nearly fell out of the tree and smacked my head on the branch above me. I spun my head to see a guy who had probably just caused the noise by slamming his window open leaning out from the other house. He looked up and froze as he saw me.

"Who the hell are you and what are you doing outside my window?" He said slowly after a moment.

"Oh don't worry, I'm fine, it's not like I just had a miniature heart attack and nearly fell to my doom or anything." I said dryly. He continued to stare at me expectantly as if I hadn't said anything at all. Suddenly I was very conscious of the fact that I was wearing only a camisole and short pajama shorts. He looked to be about my age and had shaggy black hair, dark eyes, and…wasn't wearing a shirt. I snapped my eyes back up to his before he caught me staring at his admittedly well toned chest.

"I live here genius." I said at last.

"In the tree?" he asked me with a smirk.

"Yeah, the squirrels are surprisingly good company."

"So you're Max then?" He said rolling his eyes.

"How do you know that?" I asked, suddenly becoming extremely nervous.

"Relax, Ella hasn't stopped talking about you since she found out. Nice to finally meet you." He held out his hand for me to shake. I just looked at it and raised an eyebrow.

"You know, normally meeting someone means names are exchanged both ways."

"Right sorry, I figured Nudge and Ella had already told you, I'm a little hurt." he said jokingly "I'm F-Nick."

"Finnick? Really? Like in The Hunger Games? Na, can't be, you obviously aren't cool enough."

"Haha. You're hilarious." He said mimicking my earlier dry tone, "My name's Nick, but everybody calls me Fang."

"Oof! How'd you get that one? Have an obsession with vampires I should know about?"

"Again, very funny, and wouldn't you like to know? But tell me, do you normally sleep in trees?" He asked, cocking his head to one side.

"It's a warm night. Do you normally meet strangers for the first time shirtless?" I retorted and then bit my lip bracing myself for him to say something like 'Why? Do you find it distracting?' because I had made it clear I noticed.

"It's a warm night." He said to my surprise and grabbed a black shirt from behind him and pulled it over his head. "There, happy now?"

"Ecstatic." I drawled out. "So you and Nudge?"

"Adopted."

"I see." There was a long silence, but for some reason it didn't seem awkward. After a bit, I figured Fang had gone back inside, but when I looked he was still on his windowsill gazing up at the stars. "So what's with the barbeque tomorrow?"

"Oh, we have those all the time. Be prepared for a lot of good food, a lot of crazy and be ready to get wet. Oh, and I think we'll set off some of Gazzy and Iggy's homemade fireworks." He added with another smirk.

"Wait what?" I asked still stuck on the homemade fireworks.

"Well, goodnight. See you tomorrow." And with that he disappeared.

"Well goodnight then." I muttered half to myself as I climbed back into my room. What an annoying ass. I couldn't decide if I hated him or if we were going to be best friends. Probably both. As soon as my head hit the pillow I was out like a light. Busy day tomorrow.

**Little longer than normal. Please let me know what you think by reviewing! They mean so much to me and are my inspiration! Pretty please with Nuttela on top!**

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